Cable clamp



June 12, 1934. R Q MORRlSON 1,962,964

CABLE CLAMP Filed Aug. 23, 1932 m IIIIIIHHHH INVENTOR WITIQESS y R- CJldfirrison,

BY MHZ ATTORN EY Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CABLE CLAMP Robert O. Morrison, Chattanooga, Tenn.

Application August 23, 1932, Serial No. 630,113

3 Claims. (01. 24-134) My invention relates to improvements in cable clamps of the type used on guy cables and etc., and it consists in the combinations, constructions and arrangements herein described and claimed.

The present invention relates to that type of clamp in which a centrally disposed pivoted member is turned to bind the cable between the ends of the central member and opposed abutment members.

There are a number of these devices already in use. Some of them, however, operate by means of teeth which tend to nick the strands of the cable thereby weakening them and causing them eventually to break. In other devices ,157. of the type it is necessary to crimp the cable in order to secure it and this again tends to weaken the cable.

An object of my invention is to provide a cable clamping device which will hold the cable firmly,

20,: but which will not nick or cut the strands of the cable.

A further object is to provide a device which operates to cause the frictional engagement of the cable not merely at one point, but for a 25;:considerable distance thereby preventing the cable from slipping.

A further object is to provide a simple device consisting merely of three members which may be applied quickly to the cable and which when 30: applied will securely hold the cable in position.

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing forming part of this application, in which:

Figure 1 is a face view of the device showing the application of the same to a cable;

Fig. 2 is a plane View of the device,

Fig. 3 is an edge view, and

Fig. 4 is a central sectional view on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

In carrying out my invention I provide a cir- 45: cular base portion 1 preferably made of metal and having integral opposed flanges 2 and 3. These flanges, as will be observed, are disposed at the outer edges of the base plate and are segmental in form. The end portions of the flanges are 50.".formed in straight lines as shown at 4, these lines being parallel. A groove 2a is formed in the inner face of the flange 2 and a groove 3a is formed in the inner face of the flange 3. These grooves, as will be observed, are continued. through the 55Istraight portions 4.

f The clamping member consists of a plate 5 which bears on the base 1 and which is pivotally mounted thereon by means of a pivot pin 6 which is rigidly secured in the base. The outer edges of the clamping member are curved as shown at 7, these curves being eccentric with respect to the central axis of the pin. The curved edges 7 are grooved as shown at M. The clamping member 5 is provided with a central integral boss 8 and also has flanges 9 disposed as shown in Fig. 2 by means of which the clamp may be manipulated.

From the foregoing description of the device the operation thereof may be readily understood. Let us assume that it is desired to form a loop in a guy cable and to hold the strands of the cable securely. The clamp is turned to the position shown in Fig. 2 and portions of the cable as shown in Fig. 1 are slipped into the grooves 2a. and 3a of the flanges 2 and 3, respectively. The clamp is now turned in the direction indicated by the arrows in Fig. l and will crowd the cable portions into the grooves at opposite ends of the clamp.

It will be noted that at no point is the cable sharply bent and that at no point are there any teeth to nick the cable. On the other hand the cable is gripped not only at one point, but for quite a distance along the edge of the clamp. The portions at which the gripping is greatest is, of course, at the upper left-hand end of the clamp shown in Fig. l and the lower right-hand end. From these points the eccentric curves of the clamp gradually draws away, but the curvature is so slight that although it permits the ready release of the cable it acts, in effect, to grip the cable for a portion of its length so as to frictionally clamp it against the curved face of the adjacent flange.

As stated before I am aware that clamps of this type have been used, but they have been generally provided with teeth which tend to nick the cable and therefore to cause a weakening and subsequent breaking. In my device there is no such tendency. The curvature of the grooved flanges and grooved ends of the clamp is gradual and the walls of the groove are smooth, thus eliminating any sharp bends which may tend to distort the cable and weaken it.

The device is simple in that it consists only of three parts which are readily assembled.

I claim:

1. A cable clamp comprising a base member having opposed side flanges, said side flanges being curved on their inner faces for a portion of the clamp and the curved portion of the flanges. V

2. A cable clamp comprising a base portion,

opposed flanges carried by said base portion,said' flanges having grooves in their inner faces and a portion of each flange being an arc of a circle,-

each flange having a smooth-walled groove on its inner face extending from end to end of the flange, a clamping member pivotally mounted between the said flanges at the geometrical center of the curved portion of the flanges, sa'id clamping member having ends formed in a curve eccentric to said curved portions of the flange, the ends of the clamping member being grooved, and means carried by the clamping member for rotating the latter to clamp a cable between the ends of the clamping member and the flanges.

3. In a cable clamping device, a base member, a pair of flanges carried by the base member and being provided with grooves curved on the arc of a circle, and a clamping member disposed centrally between said flanges, said clamping member having ends curved eccentrically with respect to the curvature of the flanges and being provided with smooth-walled grooves to receive a cable and to clamp the latter between the ends of the clamping member and the curved portion of theflanges.

ROBERT C. MORRISON.

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